Overview
- On ITV’s This Morning, Deeley said screening at birth could enable treatment so that “the children can live normal lives,” drawing objections to her wording.
- Disabled journalist Frances Ryan and presenter Sophie Morgan said the phrasing was inappropriate and urged broadcasters to put more disabled people on and behind the camera.
- Jesy Nelson has used her twins’ SMA Type 1 diagnosis to push for newborn screening, noting the test is used in more than 40 countries and was cited as costing 36p per baby.
- Nelson’s comments echoed wider policy moves, with Scotland planning to introduce SMA screening in the spring and the UK National Screening Committee commissioning a reassessment.
- Health Secretary Wes Streeting said Nelson was right to challenge diagnostic delays and pledged to examine screening alongside better use of genomic medicine.